Saturday, February 25, 2012

Pavamana Suktham

VEDHA MANTHRAM RECITED n
PANYAHAVACHANAM

Pavamana Suktham

Translated by P. R. Ramachander
This hymn is for purification. Soma, the sacred intoxicator is the lord of delight. Pavamana is another name for Soma. Pavamana also means that which flows and that which purifies. This stotra can be found in the Thaithreeya Samhitha and Thaithreeya Brahmana[1].
Hiranya varnaa suchaya paavakaa,
Yasu jatha kasyapo yaswindrah
Agnim ya garbham dadhire virupaa,
Tha na aapaa sam syona bhavanthu.
In this golden, pure and purifying,
Waters were born Kashyapa and also Indra,
The fire God of various forms was also made by these waters,
And let these waters be full of bliss and make us happy.
Yaasaam raja varuno yathi madhye,
Sathyanruthe ava pasyaan janaanaam,
Madhuschutha suchayo ya pavaka,
Taa na aapa syona bhavanthu.
The king Varuna is in their middle,
Examining men for truth and falsehood,
These waters are honeyed, pure and purifying,
And let these waters be full of bliss and make us happy.
Yaasaam devaa divi krunvanthi bhaksham,
Ya anthareekshe bahudha bhavanthi,
Ya pruthweem payasa udanthi shukrah,
Taa na aapa syona bhavanthu.
These waters are the food for gods,
They are found in various environments,
These pure waters drench the earth,
And let these waters be full of bliss and make us happy.
Shivena maa chakshusha pasyathaaapa,
Shivaya thanuvopa sprusad thwachama may,
Sarvaan aagnir aapsushadho huve,
Vo mayi varchaa balamojo ni datha. 
Oh Waters see me with your peaceful eyes,
Oh waters, please touch my skin with your body.
And oh fires, which exist in different waters,
Please bless me with brilliance, strength and power.
Pavamanas suvarjana,
Pavithrena vicharshanee,
Ya pothaa sa punathu maa.
Those who purify live in the suvar lokaa(world)
Let them, with holiness and thought,
Along with deity Pota purify us.
Pnanthu maa deva janaa,
Punanthu manavo dhiyaa,
Punanthu vishvaa aayava,
Let the gods purify me,
Let me be purified by manu and other learned ones,
Let all human beings purify me.
Jaathavedaa pavithravath,
Pavithrena punaahi maa,
Shukrena deva dheedhyaath,
Agne kruthwaa kruthamranu.
Oh God who knows all those who are born, purify us,
Oh God purify us with purity,
Oh God who shines with purity, purify us,
Oh Fire God,purify us and give us will power.
Yaththe pavithram archishi,
Agne vithatham antharaa,
Brahma thena puneemahe.
Oh fire god, Purify our knowledge using your power,
Which is spread all over and is in the midst of your flames.
Pavamaniryo adhyethi
Rishibhirsambhrathaam rasam
Thasmai Saraswathi duhe,
Ksheeram sarpir madhuudhakam.
He who recites Pavamana Suktha,
Which is essence of Vedas collected by sages,
For him Saraswathi extracts,
The milk of knowledge, clarity and exhilarating Soma.
Pavaamani swasthyayani,
Sudhughaa hi payaswathi,
Rishibhir sambrutho rasa,
Brahmeshwamrutham hitham.
This Pavamani suktha leads to peaceful and indestructible life,
They can be easily understood and knowledge can be improved,
The sages understand the essence of Vedas from these,
And this is the nectar for the knower of God.
Pavamanir dishanthu nah,
Imam lokamadho aamum,
Kaamaan samradhayanthu nah,
Devir devai samaabhruthaa.
Those who are purified by Pavamana Suktham,
Get this world as well as the next,
Their wishes would be fulfilled,
And they would be united with gods and goddesses
Pavamana svasthyayani,
Sudhugha hi gruthaschutha,
Rishibhir sambhrutho rasa,
Brahmaneshvamrutha hitham
This Pavamani suktha leads to peaceful and indestructible life,
They can be easily understood and mental clarity would be released,
The sages understand the essence of Vedas from these,
And this is the nectar for the knower of God.
Yena devaa pavithrena,
Aathmaanam punathe sathaam,
Thena sahasra dhaarena,
Pavamanya punanthu maa.
Those Gods who are pure,
Purify our souls,
With thousand showers of purity,
May Pavamana Suktha purify us.
Praajapathyam pavithram,
Shathodhyamam hiranmayam,
Thena brahma vidho vayam,
Pootham brahma punimahe,
These purify the creator himself,
Makes us hundred fold great and with golden luster,
Makes the knowledge of Brahma as ours,
Makes us pure and purifies us.
Indrasuneethi saha maam punaathu,
Soma savashthyaa,
Varuna samichyaa,
Yamo raja pramrunaabhipunaathu maa,
Jathavedaa morjayanthya punaathu.
May Indra purify us by the right path,
May Soma purify us by peace and well being,
May Varuna purify us by his closeness,
May king Yama purify us with strength,
May Jataveda purify us with energy.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

quotes of Ramakrishna N Vivekananda

Let me be condemned to be born over and over again, even in the form of a dog, if so I can be of help to a single soul – Sri Ramakrishna



I will give up twenty thousand such bodies to help one man. It is glorious to help even one man– Sri. Ramakrishna.



After so much austerity, I’ve understood this as real truth, God is present in every jiva. There is no other God besides that,


"WHO SERVES JIVA SERVES GOD INDEED" – Swami Vivekananda.


Liberation is only for him who gives up everything for others, whereas others who tax their brains day and night harping on "my salvation" - "my salvation" wonder about with their true well being ruined, both present ant prospective – Swami Vivekananda.



The mind uncontrolled and unguided will drag us down, down forever, - rend us, kill us; and the mind controlled and guided will save us, free us – Swami Vivekananda.



"Each soul is potentially divine, the goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlled nature, external and internal. Do this either by work (Karma Yoga) or worship (Bhakti Yoga) or psychic control (Raja Yoga) or philosophy (Jnana Yoga) – by one or more or all of these and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms are but secondary details" – Swami Vivekananda. I.257 (My India p.81-82, complete works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol.I, p.144).



"Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when the sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity". – Swami Vivekananda.



At Varanasi, when a group of monkeys chased Swami Vivekananda & he was trying to run away from them, a Sadhu cried out, "Face the Brutes". When Swamiji turned round and faced them, they instantly ran away. He later advised, "We should not run away from problems but face them. That is the only way to solve our problems." – Swami Vivekananda.



Do not spend your energy in talking but meditate in silence, and do not let the rush of the outside world disturb you. …accumulate power in silence and become a DYNAMO OF SPIRITUALITY -Swami Vivekananda.



Be not afraid of anything. You will do marvelous work. The moment you fear, you are nobody. It is fear that is the great cause of misery in the world. It is fear that is the greatest of all superstitions. It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is FEARLESSNESS that brings heaven even in a moment. Therefore "ARISE, AWAKE AND STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED" – Swami Vivekananda.



The greatest thing is MEDITATION. It is the nearest approach to spiritual life – the mind meditating. It is the one moment in our daily life that we are not at all material – the soul thinking of itself, free from all matter – this marvelous touch of the soul! – Swami Vivekananda.



We want that education by which CHARACTER is formed, STRENGTH OF MIND is increased. The INTELLECT is expanded, and by which one can stand on ones own feet. To me the very essence of education is CONCENTRATION OF MIND not the collection of facts. If I had to do my education over again, and had any voice in the matter, I would not study facts at all. I would develop the power of CONCENTRATION and DETACHMENT, and then with a perfect instrument I could collect facts at will – Swami Vivekananda.



If a man with an ideal makes a thousand mistakes, I am sure that the man without an ideal makes fifty thousand. Therefore, it is better to have an ideal – Swami Vivekananda II.152.



Therefore, stand up, be hold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the CREATOR OF YOUR OWN DESTINY – Swami Vivekananda. II.225.



If a man continuously hears bad words, thinks bad thoughts, does bad actions, his mind will be full of bad impressions; they will influence his thought and work without his being conscious of the fact. He will be like a machine in the hands of his impressions, and they will force him to do evil, and that man will be a bad man; he cannot help it. Similarly, if a man thinks good thoughts and does good works, the sum total of these impressions will be good, and they, in a similar manner, will force him to do good, even in spite of himself. WHEN SUCH IS THE CASE, A MAN’S GOOD CHARACTER IS SAID TO BE ESTABLISHED. –Swami Vivekananda. I.54



Brave, bold men, these are what we want.What we want is vigor in the blood, strength in the nerves, iron muscles and nerves of steel, not softening namby pamby ideas. Avoid all mystery. There is no mystery in religion. Mystery mongering and superstition are always signs of weakness – Swami Vivekananda III. 278 – 279.



Work unto death – I am with you, and when I am gone, my spirit will work with you. This life comes and goes – wealth, fame, enjoyments are only of a few days. It is better, FAR BETTER TO DIE ON THE FIELD OF DUTY, PREACHING THE TRUTH, THAN TO DIE LIKE A WORLDLY WORM - Swami Vivekananda. v. 114-115.



My child, what I want is MUSCLES OF IRON AND NERVES OF STEEL, inside which dwells a mind of the same material as that of which the thunderbolt is made. Strength, manhood, Kshatra-Virya + Brahma – Teja - Swami Vivekananda. V. 117.



All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Swami Vivekananda. VI.320.



After so much austerity, I have understood this as the real truth – God is present in every Jiva; there is no other God besides that. "Who serves jiva ,serves God indeed" Swami Vivekananda. VII. 247



He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. The old religion said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is the atheist who does not believe in himself - Swami Vivekananda. II.301.



What makes you weep, my friend? In you is all power. Summon up your all-powerful nature, O mighty one, and this whole universe will lie at your feet. It is the SELF alone that predominates and not matter - Swami Vivekananda. VI. 274.



Whatever you think, that you will be. If you think yourself weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves STRONG, STRONG YOU WILL BE - Swami Vivekananda. III.130.



God alone lives. The soul alone lives. Spirituality alone lives. Hold on to that - Swami Vivekananda. III. 149.



Go from village to village to do good to humanity and to the world at large. Go to hell yourself to buy salvation for others. It is only by doing good to others that one attains to one’s own good, and it is by leading others to Bhakti and Mukti that one attains them oneself. Take that up; forget your own self for it; be mad over the idea - Swami Vivekananda. VI. 265 – 267.



All power is WITHIN you; you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak. Stand up and express the divinity within you - Swami Vivekananda. III.284.



Let the lion of Vedanta roar; the foxes will fly to their holes. Throw the ideas broadcast, and let the result take care of itself. Let us put the chemicals together; the crystallization will take its own course - Swami Vivekananda. IV. 351.



The more OUR BLISS IS WITHIN, the more spiritual we are. Let us not depend upon the world for pleasure - Swami Vivekananda. VIII.29.



MEDITATE WHENEVER YOU GET TIME. If the mind once enters the path of SUSHUMNA, everything will get right. You will not have to do much after that - Swami Vivekananda. VII.267.



To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous WILL, "I will drink the ocean," says the persevering soul, "at my will mountains will crumble up." Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard and you will reach the goal - Swami Vivekananda. I.178.



WITHIN there is the lion – the eternally pure, illumined and ever-free Atman; and directly one realises Him through MEDITATION AND CONCENTRATION, this world of Maya vanishes. - Swami Vivekananda. VII. 253.



PRACTISE HARD; WHETHER YOU LIVE OR DIE DOES NOT MATTER. YOU HAVE TO PLUNGE IN AND WORK, WITHOUT THINKING OF THE RESULT. IF YOU ARE BRAVE ENOUGH, IN SIX MONTHS YOU WILL BE A PERFECT YOGI - Swami Vivekananda. I. 178.



Expansion is life, contraction is death. Love is life, and hatred is death. - Swami Vivekananda. IV. 366.



Happiness presents itself before man, wearing the crown of sorrow on its head. He who welcomes it must also welcome sorrow - Swami Vivekananda. V. 419.



Disease and misfortune come to do us good in the long run, although at the time we feel that we are submerged forever. - Swami Vivekananda.VII. 429.



It is the nature of the brute to remain where he is (not to progress);


it is the nature of man to seek good and avoid evil;

it is the nature of God to seek neither, but just to be eternally blissful. Let us be God! - Swami Vivekananda. VII. 13.


Everything that makes for unity is moral, everything that makes for diversity is immoral. Know the ONE without a second, that is perfection. The ONE who manifests in all is the basis of the universe; and all religion, all knowledge, must come to this point. - Swami Vivekananda. IX. 270.



One ounce of PRACTISE is worth twenty thousand tons of big talk - Swami Vivekananda. III.212.



When there is conflict between the HEART and the BRAIN, let the heart be followed…. it is the heart which takes one to the highest plane, which intellect can never reach; it goes beyond intellect and reaches to what is called inspiration….Always cultivate the heart; through the heart the Lord speaks and through the intellect you yourself speak. - Swami Vivekananda. I.412-413-415.



You must have STRICT MORALITY. Deviate an inch from this, and you are gone forever - Swami Vivekananda. VII. 447.



All great undertakings are achieved through mighty obstacles. - Swami Vivekananda. VII. 480.



"TRUTH ALONE TRIUMPS, NOT UNTRUTH" STAND UPON TRUTH AND YOU HAVE GOT GOD - Swami Vivekananda. VII.72.



TRUTH IS TO BE JUDGED BY TRUTH AND BY NOTHING ELSE. DOING GOOD IS NOT THE TEST OF TRUTH; THE SUN NEEDS NO TORCH BY WHICH TO SEE IT. EVEN IF TRUTH DESTROYS THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, STILL IT IS TRUTH; STAND BY IT - Swami Vivekananda. VII. 101

Friday, February 3, 2012

Mantras

MANTRAMS


1. Mantram is tightly connected to Aagamaas and Tantram . The root for Mantra is “mann” or to think . Therefore Mantram is a Bhakti-driven thought based utterance . When recited , it produces spiritual benefits and brings one close to the UpAsanaa Moorthy and ultimately lead to Moksham



2. There are Vaidhika MantrAs and Loukika Mantras for gaining some worldly benefits ( wealth , Freedom from disease etc). Vaidhika Mantraas like Gaayatri and AstAkshari are for spirtual upliftment and deliverance ultimately from the cycles of SamsAra. MantrAs have to be received thru an AchAryan .



3. MantrAs consist of aksharaas ( letters) arranged in a particular sequence with a Chandas ( poetic meter) , Rishi , Deavataa and other unique features. Atarva Veda is considered the source of all MantrAs . There are additional Mantra Texts which describes the details on drawing the YantrAs ( diagramatic representations of the Mantra for external worship) . Kerala has deep involvement in Mantra SaastrAs and using Tantram for AaarAdhanam at their temples . When we visit the 13 dhivya desams sung by AzhwArs in KeraLa , we will not see the use of VaikhAnasa or PaancharAtra Aagamaas there . Taantric worship has been adopted in Kerala . NaarAyaNa of Kerala ( 16th centrury ) has authored Tantrasaara Sangraha with a lot of details on mantraas /Tantraas . Mantra Saastram is an ocean and it is better to stick to a few MantrAs given to one by an AchAryan .



4. Even for One Moorthy , there are many Mantrams starting from YekAkshari to maala Mantrams consisting of long passages used for Homams and Japams . The shorter ones need more spirtual discipline compared to Maala Mantrams . There are YekAkshara , shadakshara , dhvAdasa akshara Mantrams . Swamy Desikan in many of His stotrams incorporated the mantrams for us , who might not have the rigorous approach to practice Mantra Japams . For Sri Sudarsanar , there are 41 separate Mantrams but there is no need to go after all of them and loose one’s concentration. For Sri Hayagrivan , there are Mantrams and linked DhyAna slOkams for (1) Sri SantAna Hayagrivan ( for progeny) , Sri VaageeSa Hayagrivan for power of speech , Sri Vidhyaa Hayagrivan for becoming an AchAryan, etc



5.0: Every Mantra has six parts : (1) Rishi (2) Chandas (3) Devataa (4)Beejam (5) Keelakam and(6) Sakti .



5.1: Rishi is the person who saw these Mantras thru tapas and did the Japam first .



5.2: Chandas is the way to pronounce the mantra . It can also be a meter like Anushtup or Sragdara if the Mantram is in the form of a slOkam .



5.3: DevatA is the God who confers the blessings due to the performance of the Mantra Japam



5.4: Beejam is the seed utterance linked to the Mantra Tattvam .



5.5 : Keelakam is the key to open the lock of the Mantram to get the Phalans .



5.6: Sakti is the power of the Mantram .



In addition , there are Kavacham , sankalpam and Artham ( Meaning) for the individual mantrams. Kavacham is like an armour to ward off obstructions to Mantra Japam . Sankalpam is the statement of the reason for performing the Japam . This is very important portion of the Japam . Artham is the Meaning for the Mantram .above are collectively called Shadanga NyAsam

associated with Mantra Japam .


It must be remembered that BhagavAn or the UpAsanaa Moorthy relates only to the BhAvam and devotion of the devotee . Without that Bhakti and BhAvam , any number of recitation will not yield any result . With Bhakti and BhAvam , He overlooks any errors in chanting and rushes to the devotee .